1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an airbag module with a gas generator, airbag, housing, and retaining unit, whereby the gas generator and the retaining unit are located inside of the airbag, and the gas generator is radially and axially attached to the housing.
2. Description of the Related Art
A related airbag module has been described in EP 0 633 168 B 1. In order for the airbag to receive a gas generator additionally arranged in a gas generator housing, a pocket with two open fabric necks is attached in the area that receives the gas generator on the airbag, which after insertion of the gas generator into the pocket, is folded over, encompassing the gas generator in a labyrinth-like fashion. The gas generator is then firmly connected to the module housing using separate attachment means that penetrate through the fabric layers, especially by means of screw fittings.
The known airbag has the initial disadvantage that the manufacture of the airbag with the attached pocket, as well as the assembly of the airbag module as a whole, is complex. The airbag is inserted into the pocket, and the fabric necks of the airbag must be folded over and aligned in such a way that the attachment means of the housing wall of the module housing can be fed through both fabric necks into the gas generator. As the unfolding and inflating of the airbag results in tensile forces applied to the airbag material, at least for a short period of time, the penetration locations of the attachment means through the airbag material are exposed to heavy stresses, which is why additional reinforcement inserts are often worked into the airbag fabric at such critical stress points.
The same disadvantage also exists with the airbag module disclosed in DE 298 02 731 U1, in which a pot-shaped gas generator is inserted and attached in an opening contained at the bottom of the module housing. An attachment plate arranged in the interior of the airbag pinches the airbag together with the bottom of the housing, and is connected to the housing by means of screw fittings penetrating through the airbag fabric.
A comparable airbag module with the use of a pipe gas generator has been described in DE 298 06 402 U1; however, here an insertion component is arranged in the interior of the airbag and pinched together with the housing. It is also connected to the housing by means of separate screw fittings penetrating through the airbag fabric.
The problem to be solved by the invention, therefore, is to provide an airbag module with the general operational characteristics described but with simplified production and assembly.
The solution of this problem is shown in the content of the patent claims that follow this description, including advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention.